OBITUARY FOR CHARLES EVANS FERGUSON, SR.
Charles Evans Ferguson, Sr. , of Marshall, Missouri, died Saturday, December 9, 2023, in Trenton, Missouri. He was born June 27, 1943 in Houston, Texas, the middle child of Merle and Minalee Ferguson.
He attended Houston public schools except for grades 5, 6, and 7 which were spent in Melbourne, Australia, and grades 8 and 9 which were in Newark, Delaware. He earned a Bachelor of Music (’66) and Master of Music (’71) from the University of Houston. He studied string bass with Len Mano (developer of “Pop’s” Rosin), Keith Robinson and Bill Rose on tuba. He played professionally in Houston for seven years while attending college and teaching. He taught band and orchestra for seven years in Clear Creek ISD, band for four years in Boling ISD and band for two years in Yorktown ISD in Texas before moving to Marshall, Missouri, in 1979.
During his twenty-two years of teaching in the Marshall Public Schools he taught band for five years before being asked to also teach orchestra which he did for seventeen years. His students were members of the MO All-State Band and Orchestra and earned top ratings at State.
Following retirement from the Marshall Public Schools in 2001 Charles taught orchestra for three years in the College Station, Texas Independent School District. While there his Varsity and Junior Varsity orchestra earned First Division Awards, Sweepstakes and Outstanding Group of the Day at two non-UIL school music competitions in the Houston area. Charles retired from the Texas Public Schools in 2004 and returned to Marshall. He then taught for several years as an adjunct instructor of music at Missouri Valley College. He continued to enjoy teaching by having private students at his home.
Charles directed the Marshall Municipal Band for twenty-two years and continued to play tuba in the band for many years ; he conducted the Philharmonic Orchestra for thirteen years and is currently Principal Bass and Director Emeritus. He has been with the Philharmonic over forty years. He played string bass with the Sedalia Symphony Orchestra, the Columbia 9th Street Philharmonic Orchestra and the Columbia Civic Orchestra. He had been a member of the Sedville Jazz Group. He and his wife of forty years, Norma Jeane, had just finished playing a concert with the Trenton Grand River Valley Choir and Orchestra when Charles suffered a heart attack and died. He enjoyed his music to the very end!
Charles was an active member of the Covenant Presbyterian Church which was very important to him. He served the church as an Elder, Director of both the bell choir and the Chancel choir, and was a Session member. He was a recipient of the Evelyn Bedell Service Award.
Being a Type-One juvenile diabetic Charles was very much interested in research for a cure. Harvard University’s Joslin Diabetes Research Clinic recognized him sixteen years ago and he has been involved in their on-going studies ever since. The 50 Year Medalist Study recognizes diabetics who have had diabetes over fifty years with no complications. Anyone who knew Charles at all knew that his hypo glycemic unawareness was certainly a problem for him, but it wasn’t considered a “complication”. It was his wish to donate his brain to further their research. Fortunately, Norma Jeane and the doctors at Joslin made that happen. We know Charles is happy we got it done!
Charles’s awards and recognitions were many and varied.
In 1984 he was awarded a Summer Music Fellowship at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He was chosen to teach two summers at the Upper Midwest Orchestra Camp in Mankato, Wisconsin. He served as Orchestra Vice-President of Missouri Music Educators Association during the 1988-90 term and President of the Missouri Unit of the American String Teachers Association during 2001. He was a member of the Missouri State Teachers Association, International Society of Bassists, Kappa Kappa Psi, Phi Beta Mu. He was presented with the Missouri ASTA Teacher of the Year Award at the 1996 conference and he was recognized for his excellence in teaching at the Missouri Fine Arts Academy in July, 2000. He has had articles published in the “Missouri School Music Magazine” and “The American String Teacher”. One of his articles, “Say Something To Me In Music” is about his teaching techniques for the beginning level of orchestra and band. He held various positions in the West Central MO Music Educators Assoc.
Locally he was awarded the Saline County Mental Health Association’s Al Bunch Humanitarian Award and was recognized by the NAACP for his Community Involvement. He was an active member of both the Kiwanis Club and the Rotary Club. He and Norma Jeane had attended the international Rotary Convention in Melbourne, Australia, in June and Charles got to re-visit where he had lived as a child.
Charles was raised to the degree of Master Mason November 27, 1973 at Park Place Lodge #1172 in Houston, Texas. He became a dual member of Trilumina Lodge # 205 in Marshall, Missouri, on May 5, 1994.
When not involved in his music, Charles could be seen on his Lo-pi-fit walking bike all around town. He enjoyed wood working, kite flying, canoeing, creating miniature dollhouses with his wife, visiting art galleries and museums, and watching Hallmark movies. Together he and NJ enjoyed traveling the world.
Survivors are his wife of forty years, Norma Jeane.
His brother John (Lareda) of Elysburg, PA, and sister LeeEtta Sloan, Houston, TX.
Daughter Amanda Chapman (Greg), Houston, TX; Daughter-in-law Jodi Ferguson, Houston, TX; Daughter Jenna Springfield, (Eugene), Normangee, TX. Step-Daughter-in-law Susan Libbey, Kansas City, MO.
Grand children: Tiffany Howard (Katie Knorr), Matthew Ferguson, Mary Beth Ferguson, Anna Ferguson,
Jessica Lewis (Dane), Christian Springfield (Madisen), Garrett Springfield, Samantha Springfield.
Step-Granddaughters: Sophie Venus, Meghan Venus.
Great-Grandchildren: Gavin Lewis, Naythan Lewis, Sybil Springfield.
Sister-in-law: Brenda Snell (Don) of Marshall.
He was preceded in death by his step-son Bob Libbey and his son Dr. Charles Ferguson, Jr.
Memorial services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, December 30, 2023, at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Marshall.
Memorials may be made in Charles Ferguson’s name and memory to the Marshall Philharmonic Orchestra, the Covenant Presbyterian Church Organ Fund or to the Medalist Study at the Joslin Diabetic Clinic. Friends may sign the online register book at www.campbell-lewis.com